Great Chapters in the Bible — Colossians 3

Day2406: Already flying through July – savor each day!!!

Scripture: Wives should submit to their husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands should love their wives and never treat them harshly. Children should be obedient to their parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers should not aggravate their children, or they will become discouraged. Slaves should obey their earthly masters in all things; not just when they are watching you as men pleasers do, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Colossians 3:18-22

Thoughts/questions: Roles – we are all involved in some role or another and the success of the group depends on the acceptance of their role by each member. As a basketball coach, my 5 players on the floor all had to do the basics of fundamental basketball, BUT the eventual success of the team depended on each member playing their specific role within the team.

Colossians 3 focuses on the roles within the ‘team’ called family. In a world where doing what we ‘want’ seems to reign supreme, God says that that He has plans for what we ‘should’ do! God created the family unit, and without being puppets, loving husbands, submissive wives, and obedient children combine to make a unified family as they fulfill their roles unto the Lord! By the way, submission isn’t slavery – they get their own section of advice – it means yield, agree, or defer, and does not mean doormat!

We learned in Rome a few years back that slaves of that day were often criminals who could avoid a death sentence by being an obedient slave for three years and earn their freedom. Today, slavery more equates with working and these teachings apply to this as well. Most of us work and our work must be done along these lines – we must not fake it in our work; not only work hard when being observed; and not lose sight of the fact that God’s standard for our behavior doesn’t change when we are working.

In all of our roles, our motivation MUST be our reverence for the Lord. By doing that, we will be a family member or worker whose actions please the Lord!

Suggested prayer: Lord, sometimes my ‘role’ is hard for me; help me to do my best for You . . .